Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams
by SilverThornz
Summary: Team Seven journey to the Land of Lightning to find, protect, and secure the Heiress to a powerful clan...the Tsukuyomi.The Princess seems to have some connection to Itachi and to some extent Sasuke! This particular mission is ranked 'A' but when it proves to be more than that, will the team falter? Is it all just a dream...or a never ending nigtmare? Rated T for some gore
1. Chapter 1: Prologe, Old Team Seven

**Hello there! I thought I'd try to write an adventure with little and almost no romance…so if you don't mind I'll start the tale.**

**This story takes place after the chunin exams and after Itachi showed up and Oh yeah Lee is fixed…and Sasuke didn't leave the village…okay? Great! Let's get started **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…duh…**

**Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams**

**.:;Prologue: The Old Team 7;;.**

"Soooo! Where's Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto roared to the Fifth Hokage, "Since you're the Hokage, shouldn't you keep tabs on him, Grandma!"

Tsunade's fingers dug into her desk and she huffed out, "I'm not your Grandma and how should I know where he is…I've got enough to deal with without you roaring in my ear!"

Naruto scratched his head nervously and slumped to the floor, "Uh, I didn't think about that before..hahaha…see Sasuke I told you I shouldn't ask her that!" Naruto shouted trying to save face, "Next time ask her yourself!" _Yeah, that'll work…hehheh._

"Look you loser no one told you to ask such a dumb question," Sasuke spat out not even making eye contact; _you idiot-boy_. "Besides," Sasuke sighed, "Kakashi's _always_ late, today wouldn't be any different. So get a hold of yourself and act like you're _not_ a complete embarrassment!"

"Whaddya, say!" Naruto said getting up off the floor and pointing dramatically at Sasuke.

"Exactly what you heard…loser!"

"I'll teach you to call _me_ a loser!" Naruto lunged for Sasuke but was punched to the floor by Sakura.

"Quiet Naruto, you idiot! You trying to make us look bad in front of Lady Tsunade! Behave yourself!," Sakura said menacing as she grabbed his shirt collar and lifted her fist to his face, "Or _else_…**I'll crush you**!"

"_Oi_, Sakura you sure know how to make a guy feel safe," Naruto said shaking and pouting at the same time. She dropped him and went over stand by a window facing the rest of the Village; _**Inner Sakura: Hey, those two have getting on my nerves since our battle with Gaara, What Idiots! Probably feel embarrassed about how they protected each other…BOYS their worse than Me and Ino! Stupid! Stupid! **_

_Still_, she thought, _they do make a great team…_

She tapped her foot on the wood floor in a steady rhythm and pulled her hands through her hair_, I sure do miss-no cutting my hair was for the good of the team, I can't look selfish now, no way!_

"Sakura," Sasuke said raising an eyebrow in her direction, she had her fist raised to the air as if in triumph, "What are you…"

_I love the way he says my name, 'Saku-ra' all fast and smooth like but slow and seductive,_ she thought, _opps I did it again, I was supposed to try being his friend first…ugh hopeless!_

"What's eating you," a not so cool voice said, "Hope it's not…Sasuke!" he laughed.

"Naruto you idiot, I was just lost in thought…" she said looking from Naruto after raising a fist in his direction, to Sasuke who was standing silent as ever. "Anyway, no I'm fine just getting hyped up on the mission, is all" _**Yeah and how HOT you look in black**_**!, her Inner Sakura shouted.**

Sasuke nodded and didn't push the issue.

"Hey Sasuke, what do you think will be our mission? I hope it's something good so I can really show off my ninja skills," smiled Naruto with his usual upbeat attitude.

_Yeah, so you can preach to everybody about your nindo, your ninja way_, Sasuke thought as the blonde idiot smiled and scratched his head, _anyone else would die if they had your energy…typical Naruto…_

_Sasuke thinks he so cool, but I'll show him! You wait Sasuke_; Naruto boasted loudly to himself, _you won't be saving anyone this time around!_

A masked figure entered the door way with a smile,"Sorry I'm late guys, I ran into Neji Hyuuga this morning and he wanted my help-" Kakashi started.

"You lie!" Naruto and Sakura half screamed and half shouted in unison.

_Being so dramatic, this early in the morning is murder_, Sasuke thought closing his eyes against their arguing.

"That's enough already, give the man a break. Don't you want to hear about your mission?" Tsunade smiled coyly resting her head on her hands.

The three immediately quieted and rose to attention. Even Sasuke opened his eyes and joined the team to hear this.

"In light of recent events and the chunin exams, I've decided to give you…team 7 a special mission…"

"Okay! What do you mean by…special? Are we going into foreign territory! Huh, are we? Do get to use code names and stuff? If so I want to be the Gentle Creeper!" Naruto said all excited.

"Shut up and let Lady Tsunade talk you idiot, who do you think you are! What the heck is a Gentle Creeper…a pervert! Is that what you're calling it now! Cha!" she put him in a headlock and continued, "Please continue Milady, he won't be saying anything more."

"Thank you Sakura. Now I've decided to give this mission to you because of…"

_My skill as a ninja, duh,_ Naruto thought.

"…your overall team strength. On to the said mission…you will have to travel to the Lightening Country, you know the Land of Lightening to protect a Noble Heir, the risk of this mission is extremely high so if you don't want it, I could always hand it over to team Gai-"

"No way! We'll take it! All right, to the Lightening Country! Woohoo!" Naruto danced around his excitement taking him away.

"Hold on. Lady Tsunade?" Sakura asked concerned. "Um isn't the Village inside that country our enemy village; the Village Hidden in the Clouds. We're not even _close_ to being allied nations with them…so why are we going; they hate us, don't they?"

"I'm happy you brought that up, that gives me a chance to introduce the person who requested the help," Tsunade said and turned to her little helper, "Shizune! Bring in the visitor please."

Naruto's head snapped over to the door and watched as a balding man of maybe fifty or even sixty years entered the room. The guy wore top notch high quality clothes not made for traveling long distances. _Oh, great this old man's loaded…hello Ichiraku Ramen!_

_**Oh, great **_**another**_** old guy, inner Sakura thought.**_

The balding man was short and chubby to boot, he didn't look that interesting to Sasuke who barely glanced at him. Sakura had a fake smile plaster across her lips whilst Naruto could barely conceal his glee. Kakashi was indifferent and TomTom couldn't careless and strutted his pig body over to Tsunade who rubbed him/her on the head.

The man raised an eyebrow and frowned saying, "These children are going to help me? But they're fresh out of diapers! What can they do!"

"Who you calling babies you old geezer! You won't be saying that once I hit you with my way of the Shinobi!" Naruto yelled his enthusiasm failing.

"Do you always have to make the worst possible first impression, Naruto," Kakashi sighed holding the blonde away from the old man.

Sasuke smirked to himself_; you have to admit…the kid's golden at making an idiot of himself…_

_Ugh,_ thought Sakura, _it's the Land of Waves all over again!_

* * *

**N/A: Soo... how did you like it for a start? the next chapter will have action in it if i finish on time, oh well please review!**


	2. Enter:Akari Tsukuyomi Memoirs ofthe Past

**Hello, now I'm going to start the real stuff.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…**

**Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams**

**.;:Chapter 1: Enter, Akari Tsukuyomi: Memoirs of the Past:;.**

"Old man, it sure was nice of you to let us ride in the carriage with you all that walking would have been murder!" Naruto smiled brightly looking out the window at the passing trees.

"Well, I had to get here somehow didn't I? Walking all the way here would have been dangerous, even if I had brought guards with me," Sighed the old man, "But I suppose you're welcome…what's your names again?"

Naruto gazed out the window and stared at the cloud obscured sun and a strange feeling ran up his spine, somehow it was familiar…but it couldn't be because it felt like death…_That's weird…_

"Our young girl here is Sakura Haruno," Kakashi introduced gesturing to who was in front of the old man, "the boy beside her is Naruto Uzumaki and to your right is Sasuke Uchiha. And I'm Kakashi Hatake at your service."

The old man nodded, "I suppose I should tell you why I went to the Leaf for help instead of the Cloud; first I should tell you my name is Hitenzo Usama. I am Head Advisor to the Tsukuyomi Clan, one of the noblest in the Lightning Country. In four weeks' time the eldest of the Tsukuyomi Clan will take her place as the Head of the Clan and become its leader, I was to make sure that she is ready for that responsibility…I was _supposed_ to prepare her and keep her safe from the constant threats that surrounded her life. It was my _job_ to protect her." Hitenzo admitted silent tears falling from his face.

"Was?" Kakashi asked unsure, _when we met with the Hokage she didn't really give us any specifics on the mission, just that we had to go to the Land of Lightning…something tells me this is more than we bargained for…if anything that involves __**that**__ Clan has anything to do with this mission, it may be beyond the scope of an A-Rank mission, it may even classify as an S-Rank._

Hitenzo wiped his face with a handkerchief and continued, "Yes, the Princess's life has been threatened…104 times this past year."

"What? Why?" Sakura asked fearing for the little girl's life. She unconsciously tightened her hold on her knees and looked at the man straight on, "One hundred and four death threats all for some heiress? That doesn't seem possible…"

"It is possible when we're discussing the Tsukuyomi…" Kakashi stated, noticing how Sasuke and Naruto turned their attention to him when he mentioned that name, "The Tsukuyomi Clan is a clan of ancient nobility and power beyond the scope of what _should_ be of a _non-_Shinobi line."

"Meaning?" Sasuke spoke his interest peaking.

"The name Tsukuyomi is derived from the Moon god, who is believed to have given man the first of his dreams and the beginning of his nightmares," Kakashi nodded toward the window and to the sky above, "the sun is the representation of day usually, so the Clan's crest is quite odd, it has both the sun and the full moon intertwined as one…"

Akari's foot falls padded on the ground in a rhythmic fashion as she walked from the Cloud Village's boundaries. Her head lifted towards the sky and noted how the clouds obscured the sun completely_. Don't know why but that somehow gives me the creeps! I better get going Tenzo's probably will be furious with me for running off like that but…,_ she laughed, _sometimes it can't be helped!_

She continued walking for about an hour and a half and halted to a stop jumping on top a nearby boulder to rest. Akari grinned triumphantly and pulled out all of the ninja tools Bee had given her as an early birthday present, in four months she'd be fourteen and proud of it! She had hoped that maybe her father would let her become a Shinobi, but that ship had sailed when her brother died.

Akari laughed at herself, without realizing it she snapped two of her senbon in half. _Why do all those old memories get me so worked up?_ She checked her face just in case and whatddya know; no tears. _I suppose the whole crying thing set sail after brother died in my arms five years ago and first started to dry up _**seven**_ years ago when mother was killed trying to protect my _other _big brother's whereabouts…He wasn't really my brother nor was he from my country, I just loved him more than anything…_

"Ugh!" she screamed to no one in particular, "Why do I always have to be so damn selfish?"

As if answering her, a huge white tiger pounced on the rock beside her and made her jump straight out of her skin, "Yorimaru! Don't scare me like that; I thought you were some _other _vicious, white tiger trying to kill me!" she said as the large animal buried it's too big head into her lap.

She giggled as its large tongue lapped at her face, "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes, you been hunting?" she asked the animal and its stomach growled in response. "Well, let's go hunt and see what we can cook up, shall we?"

She slipped from the rock and Yorimaru joined her, "You know I'm starting to think the Raikage was right about you being too tame, you don't even like to hunt by yourself if you know I'm close by," the girl said running a hand through its fur, "Or is it you're just getting lazy?"

The feline ignored her and continued on the path ahead.

"Oh okay, you go ahead and ignore me then, but if you want to wrestle you're on your own!" she called after her companion. _Sheesh, Look at me the only thing that can make me feel better is a tiger and heck the tiger is the only one I can really talk to too, aren't I just a mess?_

The girl's feline friend was a good two meters ahead by now and getting farther and farther away by the minute. _That cat's gotten faster_, she thought, _but…_

The second the girl had barely even processed the word _run_ she was by the tiger's side in an instant.

_…I'm even faster._

The great cat tilted its head to the side as if to say, "The Raikage taught you well."

"Well, sometimes it pays to have friends in high places," the girl laughed, answering a question that was never really asked. Yep, her talking to a tiger was _almost_ as weird as Bee's rapping skills.

* * *

"But why is that strange," Naruto asked trying to pretend he knew where the story was headed; "They share the same sky don't they?"

"Well yes, but the full moon for them signifies the opening of the Nightmare Realm, it makes their powers even stronger, in fact it's quite dangerous to be around one of them when the full moon is out. With that special ability of theirs they could very well kill you, so that's why I think the girl was always threatened in the daytime when sun is out," Kakashi crossed his arms, and looked on the faces of his team. "Whereas the sun represents the daydreams and a power that is not meant to destroy but to paint a world of happiness and infinite bliss, the moon represents the exact opposite."

"Gald _we're_ the ones protecting her," Sakura sighed in relief sliding back in her seat.

"What do their powers do, you know just in case we happen to be too close at night?" Naruto quizzed, squinting at his sensei. "How do we escape it?"

Kakashi sighed and leaned forward, "You _don't_ escape it. It gets you, you _die_. **Point. Blank. Period."**

"Whaa!" Naruto said getting as far away from Kakashi as possible.

"You did say Tsukuyomi right?" Sasuke faced Kakashi, "Is it like the Sharingan?"

"No as strong as your brother's was, this particular jutsu could even put _that_ jutsu to shame. Not because it's of its lineage but because of its power to demolish its opposition."

"Is it possible to break it since it is genjutsu, right?"

"Wow, Sasuke you act like you're going into battle today or something, we don't need to know how to defeat it sense we're the ones protecting it," Naruto interjected with a grunt, "So let's go to sleep and forget we even had this conversation."

"No, your friend's right to ask these questions, it'll help you to better understand why she needs protecting…let your master continue, kid," Hitenzo said finally breaking his own silence.

"Anyway, this jutsu is unique to this family and this family alone; it cannot be copied," Kakashi stated.

"A kei kei genkai, right?" Sakura guessed.

"Correct, aren't all of you a sharp bunch today?" Kakashi smiled lightning the mood.

"Sensei, you didn't answer my question. Is it possible to break this genjutsu," Sasuke pushed. Furrowing his brow, he too leaning more into this conversation. _What a strong clan, maybe one of them wouldn't mind fighting me, _he smirked inwardly_, __**that**__ would be fun._

"First off before I confuse you any further let me say that this is not genjutsu and no there is no way to break it. I highly doubt even one of their own could break another's hold, all depending on the user's chakra; how much they have left and how much they have used. You all know jutsu works. Moreover this particular kei kei genkai is purely physical. Whatever happens to you in the realm happens to you on the outside; every bruise, every scratch completely and utterly visible and very real…"

* * *

The flames in the fire Akari had built danced fluidly as Akari fanned its embers to grow bigger. _Unlike happy over here_, she looked over to her tiger companion_, I like my food cooked not raw. _The girl smiled_; Mother would_ freak_ if she found out I liked hunting for food._

Akari's mother always used to prefer to sit at a table and be served than cook it herself, but Akari loved her for it, she was so angelic but so sure and strong…strong enough to defend someone she had just met and someone Akari secretly loved…

_ "Akari what are you doing?" brother's face lit up as she charged him. "I see you're glad to see me."_

_ "Of course, big brother," Akari sang digging her head into his lower stomach. "I forgot how tall you were, you were much shorter before." She explained admiring how dark his hair was and how long and beautiful it was._

_ He took her caramel face into his hands, "You've missed me?"_

_ "More than anything, big brother!" Akari exclaimed. She looked up into her 'big brother's' dark eyes and amongst the black carpet of night she could swear she cloud she stars and huge planets luminous in his eyes. Truly she was the luckiest girl in the world._

_ Akari felt herself being lifted off the forest floor and onto his back, "You should not wander around the forest by yourself, it's dangerous. I don't care if you did think you saw me."_

_ The brown skinned girl pouted, "I didn't go in there because I thought I saw you! I just thought I saw a baby rabbit go in here!"_

But I did_, the girl thought snuggling closer to the older boy, _I did think I saw you, that's the only reason I'd going running into the woods…only to find you.

_ "Sure, sure," he replied walking in the general direction of the lake house Akari and her mother was vacationing in, "So how old are you now?"_

_ "Guess!"she sang happily in the boy's ear, "You said you have a brother right," the boy nodded, "And you said we're about the same age, right?" he nodded again confirming this, "then guess!"_

_ "Hmm, let me think you were six last the last time I saw you and four the first. You have an excellent memory," the boy smiled knowing changing the subject would annoy her._

_ Strangely it didn't, "you saw me a bunch of times in between those years remember?"_

_ "Oh yes I remember," the boy said peering over his back. Akari clung to him as if her life depended on it and he smiled. "You must be eight, right?"_

_ "Yep!" she sang happily. Her eyes searched his features and clothes to locate any extreme changes that took place whilst he wasn't with her. She noted this strange cloak he wore, with no hood and his fingernails were painted a dark color. _Must be some strange fashion in his ninja village,_ Akari thought holding tighter, _my big brothers are so cool, both are ninja! I wish I could be!

_"Hey, um big brother?" the eight year old asked._

_ "Hmm?" he replied turning his head to her again with slowing his pace._

_ "I don't mean to be nosy but what's with the strange cloak?"_

_ "You're right," he said his tone getting dark and the girl looked up in wonder, "__**That is nosy."**_

_ Everything inside her just dropped, and died. Quickly she hid her face and gulped_, no! I made him angry now he'll never come back!

_"Kidding," he said and she could hear the smile in his voice, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry did I scare you?"_

_ "I-I thought I had made you angry…" she said and closed her eyes, promising to herself to never bring it up again._

_ "Well, well, well who do we have here," the most angelic voice Akari had ever heard chimed, "Akari you didn't tell me you made a new friend!"_

_ Akari's eyes snapped open and she leaned to the side to greet her mother's usual smiling face, "Mommy!"_

_ "I was wondering where you ran off too, this must be eighth time you did this today," her mother sighed, "Chasing rabbits, I know there cute but you shouldn't scare your mother like that!" she continued, "I was worried."_

_ "Oh, sorry Mom, I didn't realize…" she buried her head in the boy's soft, luxurious hair._

_ The mother breathed a huge sigh of relief, "Now for your punishment…__**you**__ little princess are going to be doing the dishes instead of Rhito. You understand me missy!" she laughed as her daughter face appeared again in triumph, "And if you behave yourself, your boyfriend can stay for dinner!"_

_ The mother turned and walked to the porch of the lake home and the girl shouted after her embarrassed out of her mind, "Not BOYFRIEND, big brother!" she said quietly not daring to loosen her grip on him._

* * *

"So where does this jutsu take place?" Sasuke asked.

"Inside the mind, they are somehow able to infiltrate its darkest secrets, its worst nightmares and alter that memory so that a walk in the park could turn into a criminal torture chamber where every pain you feel in the inside, also takes place on the outside," Kakashi finished laying back. "But that's all I know on specifics…Mr. Hitenzo why don't you enlighten us a little further on the matter you should know more than I."

The man released a deep breathe he hadn't realized he had been holding, "There's more to the Tsukuyomi Clan than just the Nightmares, there also the Daydreams…"

"Daydreams?" Sakura questioned.

The man nodded and continued, "The Head of the clan always possesses the Daydream Ability, which can be labeled as the Sun considering what's opposite the moon on the crest. This Daydream Quality can make any memory that is dreaded appear and be a happy ending, conjure up a universe that you may be stuck in for years and years but to the outside world a harmless comma that lasted a few weeks or days, create beautiful memories that do not exist, or completely erase some."

He took in the stunned expressions from his fellow carriage riders and went further, "There are, like most elite clans, a main family and not so important family. This is another reason the clan departed from the ninja world after the first Great Ninja War. They did not want to be viewed as weapons. Still, although there were different sides of the family, none complained, because of the power the Head brought them…pure happiness and wealth. Who would argue when such a successful system worked? Who in there in their right minds would argue? No one sane would even dare try."

"More branch stuff, I had enough of it with the Hyuugas!" Naruto complained but quickly quieted at the look Sakura shot him.

"Only a few of the clan are gifted with the Sun mark that they carry with them on their person, one every generation to be exact. And to tell the truth the reason that we can't as Kumogakure for help is because the Leader of the clan is holding the Raikage responsible for his son's death, because he became a ninja under his rule and that is his fault that he died. The true head of the Tsukuyomi Clan died about seven years ago and now her husband is in charge and doesn't really know what to do because he is still very distraught…The true head was Lady Benihime, the strongest of the Clan there ever was and the most beautiful, she used to take Lady Akari with her everywhere she went and they visited your Konahagakure one year and fell in love with what she called the Will of Fire. From that day on they visited Konaha constantly gave great description of the nation's kindness."

"That explains a lot Mr. Hitenzo but I still feel like you're hiding something from us," Kakashi added, his face blank.

"Ahh, yes…" Hitenzo answered again wiping his eyes, "The day I arrived in the Land of Fire I received word that the last place the Princess was seen was her garden and that the Princess… had completely disappeared."

* * *

_"Dinner's ready!" her mother sang calling the two from their game of hide and seek._

_ "Here we come!" little Akari called back grabbing her 'brother's' hand and leading him to their table._

_ "We have miso soup, tea for your friend and I , and finally milk for you," she placed the food down in front of each of them and took her seat as well. Akari's mother made sure to pack a lot of food because she sure couldn't cook._

_ Akari pouted, "Oh Mom I want tea too! I'm a big girl now."_

_ Her mother was about to protest her outburst but Akari's 'brother' beat her to it, "Drinking milk will help you build strong bones and a healthy body. I used to drink a lot of it when I was your age that's how I became a strong Shinobi." He stated with a smile ruffling up her long bangs that covered her forehead._

_ "Oh, well never mind Mom I want to be a Shinobi one day too so I need all the milk I can get!"_

_ "So tell me young man," the mother started, pilling the dishes into the sink and going over to sit next to the boy. Akari was busy at work in the kitchen so she took this as an excuse to get more information from the mysterious boy. "Where do you come from? My daughter seems to be quite found of you, where did you too meet?"_

_ "The first time I saw her she was in Konaha visiting…she was with you and that was five years ago. I met her officially when I was on a mission here and that was four years ago. I am from Konaha and may I ask the name of my new acquaintance?" the boy spoke locking eyes with the woman's magenta gaze._

_ "I can see why she clings to you, a face like that could even charm snakes."_

_ The young man smiled, "You have no idea."_

_ "Benihime Tsukuyomi," the woman eyed the cloak he was wearing and lifted her gaze to his hitai-ate which bore the symbol of his village and a slash mark. Her eyes lowered once again to meet his gaze, "Maybe it's best if I don't know your name, young one. Does she," she gestured toward her eight year old daughter._

_ "She does." He agreed solemnly thinking of something._

_ "If the time comes when I have to, I could make her forget it," the mother stated point-blankly. "Don't misinterpret what I am saying though. For this is not a threat but a precaution, for your sake and hers. A gift," the woman smiled gently, "for always protecting what is precious to me when I am not there."_

_ "Understood," the young man agreed, "And that you for protecting what is also precious to me."_

_ Benihime smiled wider, even kinder than before and spoke, "I will not ask your name but I do ask that you do stay the night, I don't think she could bare it if you left so early."_

_ "I wouldn't dream of it," he said as Akari bounded into the room._

_ "I'm done!" she announced, "Let's all play a game! You too Mommy!"_

_ "Oh, alright but it's getting late so after we finish playing its off to bed!"_

_ "Akari, Akari?" the young man said shaking the little girl who had fallen asleep in his arms._

_ "Big brother?" she asked in return._

_ "I have to go now, its morning," he answered back, rising off the bed and taking her with him down the stairs to her mother who had set aside a meal for him._

_ "B-But, I want you to stay, I want you to stay with me forever!"_

_ "As much as I would like that, I can't. but I promise I will visit again okay," he reassured._

_ "Stay then you, me and Mommy can stay here together forever! We'll be our own family and we don't have to go back home."_

_ "But don't you have a father back home?"_

_ "Yes…," the little girl said her eyes darkening, "But he doesn't care about me all he cares about is Akirin, my older brother. He doesn't care what happens to me!"_

_ What the girl said rang a bell to him and flashed an old memory through his head. He didn't answer but he did pull her to him and said, "I'm your older brother and that means you granted me the right to protect you, and if by leaving I am protecting you I'm doing my job as your honorary brother."_

_ Tears ran down her face she didn't understand what he was saying, "will you promise to come back?"_

_ "I SWEAR." He said and kissed her forehead._

_ The tired little girl yawned; it was _way_ too early for her._

_ "Until then." He said finally and walked over to Benihime, "Thank you for everything."_

_ "You're very welcome," she nodded to him and gave him his food._

_ The boy made it to the front door and turned around to see Akari crying her eyes out on the couch, crying herself to sleep, "Forgive me…Akari."_

_ "Don't worry about her she'll be fine," Benihime said catching his arm as he turned to leave, "You have a younger brother, don't you?" _

_ He nodded._

_ "Take care of him."_

_ The young man's eyes darkened, "I intend to."_

Akari watched as the last of flames burn out along with her brother's promise. _Well, it's time to go._

Yorimaru stood along with her and they both glance up at the sky, it was getting dark and in one day's time the full moon will be out. By then Akari should be back with horrors of Nobility.

She ran her fingers through her tiger's fur who was a third of her height on all fours, "Can you do me a favor?"

Yorimaru lowered himself to ground and she climbed on his back gripping his fur for support. "Let's go home."

With that Yorimaru was off and Akari closed her eyes and rested against his fur.

_"Akari, you still upset he left?" her mother asked._

_ "Nope!" she said blissfully. It was now evening and several hours had based since her beloved left._

_ "Why is that?"_

_ "Because he's coming back and then I'll be able to show him how strong I've gotten. He'll marry me for sure then!"_

_ "Aren't you a little young to be thinking about marriage? And isn't he a little old?"_

_ "Of course not, he's only five years older that's nothing," she chirped gleefully. "Not to mention that Hitenzo said I looked just like you when you were my age so that means, I'll be beautiful just like you Mom!"_

_ "Oh, sweetie you're way prettier than me," she said, "And Mother's don't lie."  
The girl hyped up, "Yay! Then he'll love me for sure!"_

_ "That's right," she said as there was a sharp and harsh knock on the door._

_ Akari stared after her mother and stared at her beautiful bubblegum pink and baby blue streaked hair. The hair itself ran past the bend in her knees and it was already in a ponytail._

_Her mother's skin was a flawless caramel like her own but her mom's glowed even when she was angry. She was defiantly the luckiest girl in the world._

_ "Where is he!" an angry husky voice shouted._

_ "WE KNOW HE'S IN THERE!"_

_ "WE HAVE HIS SCENT!"_

_ "HE IS WANTED FROM THE LEAF AND MORE!"_

_ "LET US IN!"_

_ All the strange voices shouted all at once. Who are these people? Why are they here? Do they want to hurt us? No, they were talking about a man…oh no…big brother!_

_ Akari ran to the door behind her mother and tugged on her shirt, "Mommy." She whispered._

_ "Don't fret sweetheart, your mother will take care of this," she stated reassuringly._

_ Akari glanced at the men and saw that they were wearing headbands, they were Shinobi!_

_ "I don't know what you're talking about, no one else was here but us," Benihime stated._

_ "You. Lie!," one ugly one said and he sniffed the air like a dog, "He was here all right, tell us where he went and no one gets hurt."_

_ "Akari go to your room!" her mother ordered but Akari didn't budge, "Go. To. Your. Room NOW AKARI!"_

_ Still no movement. The mother sighed in defeat and turned her head to her daughter and slammed the door in the Shinobi faces. Quickly grabbed her daughters hand and forcefully pulled her face to face with her. Benihime closed her eyes, "I love you baby, forever and always."_

_ "I love you too mommy," the girl gulped and grasped what followed. "More than anyone in this entire world, way more than father."_

_ "I know baby, so I ask you to forgive me!" she opened her now glowing eyes and Akari felt herself being pulled away from the room. "Sweet Dreams, my precious…"_

_ At that moment the door burst open but Akari didn't see it she was too busy reliving every happy memory she had ever had._

_ When she woke up, the first thing she saw was mother's body still as stone. She crawled over to her mother and closed her eyes and for the second time that day she cried herself to sleep…_

* * *

**N/A: so how did you like it? Please Review! Hey do you know who this boy is? oh and i'm sorry if i got them out of character a bit...**


	3. Enter: Akari Tsukuyomi: A Battle Insues!

**Alright! I have a ways to go… and I apologize for making that last chapter so long. Anyway if you are a Naruto fan in any way you should have known who I was describing with Akari and a head's up I'll probably switching p.o.v's quite frequently so yeah…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except the characters I made up and fake history and stuff.**

**Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams**

**.;:Chapter 3: Enter, Akari Tsukuyomi: A Battle Ensues! (Pt. 2):;.**

When Akari finally arrived to her home, she didn't even think about using the front entrance that would only make things worse for her, Hitenzo would tear her apart for sure then she only had one choice…sneak in through the window.

The palace where the Main Family of the Tsukuyomi Clan was large and about three stories but getting in through the window was a small feat, however; getting Yorimaru through any window would take some time. So instead of going through all the trouble of lugging him through the window, she did what any smart person would do, she made him use the front entrance_. What can I say, I'm lazy shoot me!_

In a few swift movements she was using her chakra to climb the large, extravagant house. When she came to her own balcony she noticed a figure sleeping on her own bed. _What idiot had the balls-excuse me the gall to sleep in my bed whist I was away! Who gave them the right!_

She flipped over the marble railing and landed lightly on her toes not even making the dust move. Akari opened one of the glass double doors lightly, not wanting to wake this 'sleepy intruder' and slowly but steadily peaked her head inside. It was so quiet you could even hear a senbon needle drop, which reminded her to take out a weapon. You never could be too careful. She reached back for her backpack but found only her pouch full of scrolls and kunai knives. Dang, she hated using kunai. She'd much rather use senbon than anything, _oh well you when some, you lose some._

Kunai at the ready, she opened the door a tiny bit wider and slipped through. With her lighting like speed she was across the room large in mere moments and was dangling from the rods above her bed that held its delicate curtains (which were drawn back). The back of her knees and the rod were locked in an embrace as she lowered herself to face the intruder.

Akari lowered her weapon to the attacker's neck and for a moment her heart ceased its beating. _Ah, hell… what's __**he **__doing here?_

Why didn't she notice it sooner? The intruder had spiky blonde hair that either belonged to the late Fourth Hokage of the Leaf or the heir to the Morimoto Clan and the betrothed to the heiress of the Tsukuyomi. This guy was also the only _one_ person who'd dare sleep on her bed whilst she was gone. _This idiot!_

She looked him over and she noticed he wasn't under her sheets but was indeed just on top of her bed. The blonde boy wore loose white Capri pants that tied and the end of the knee and a pale, thin but gold etched green long sleeved shirt. And the boy had his darn feet at the head of her bed! The nerve of some people!

Akari zeroed in on his face he looked like he'd been crying, _**how**__ old was he? _They shared the same birth month and always celebrated together, so why was this teenaged boy crying in her bed and who let him in here!

She was paying almost no attention to his face, when the boy's eyes popped open and his body swung up in an upwards motion towards the tip of her kunai.

* * *

"Hitenzo, we're about a half a day's journey to where your home resides," Kakashi said sitting down across from the old man at the table where there supper was being served. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke followed suit, taking their seats as well in bath robes.

They had spent a day and a half traveling in the carriage and finally decided to rest up at an Inn.

Naruto was about to start chowing down when Sakura slapped his hand.

"The objectives of the mission at hand just increased: First we must locate the missing Heiress, Second we have to protect her at all costs, and Third make sure she makes it to the crowning ceremony on time," Kakashi sighed and finished counting off his list and looked over at Hitenzo, "If we have to first locate the girl then we need a picture of sorts to positively id her." Kakashi stated.

Hitenzo nodded his head and stood up and walked over to where some of his possessions were being kept. After rummaging through them for a while he returned with a picture grasped firmly in his hands almost possessively. "Here she is the Princess."

* * *

Sasuke was only a little interested in the ongoing conversation, it didn't peak his interest like the conversation in the carriage did. The thing that really got him was when he mentioned Tsukuyomi. The Tsukuyomi was a genjutsu, but also the name of a clan. His brother's favorite move was the Tsukuyomi, wow his day just kept getting better and better. Maybe this clan had some connection to the Sharingan, and held secrets to defeating his technique. _Whatever those connections are I will find out! And I'll be that much stronger and that much closer to killing Itachi…_

"Yo! Earth to Sasuke! What the heck's wrong with you? All spaced out and what not-what's eating you?" the idiot blurted in Sasuke's right ear_. That idiot_…

"Shut up you dobe and stop asking stupid questions, I can't think?" Sasuke shot back fiercely ignoring the look of protest on the blonde's face.

"She is quite lovely, Hitenzo. Very beautiful," Kakashi commented passing the picture to Sakura. And which each new hand that touched this picture, Sasuke noticed Hitenzo would squirm slightly as if fearing for the picture slightly.

He smirked inwardly; _he must be her guardian or something_.

"Wow!" Sakura exclaimed, "She's so gorgeous and her hair is so long and…Pink!"

"What's wrong with pink?" Kakashi grinned, and Sakura blushed handing the photo back to Kakashi who handed it over to Naruto.

"Our Princess is the pride of our clan with beauty identical to her mother Lady Benihime," Hitenzo spoke obvious pride in his voice. "No other has her angelic beauty…" the man's voice trailed off with that but Sasuke couldn't help but notice that the man wanted to continue but stopped himself. He sounded like he was going to say 'except' but Sasuke let it go, they'd find more about this subject soon enough and hopefully it wouldn't be too late.

"Gosh, she sure is pretty!" the blonde exclaimed grinning like a buffoon, "Right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes scanned the picture. There was a caramel skinned girl with long hair, that had curls at the ends and yes her hair was defiantly a bubble gum pink. This girl's hair wasn't like Sakura's; by the looks of hers you could tell she hadn't worked a day in her existence. Her hair was too shiny too perfect. The princess in the photo wore a long flowing, mint green kimono with a burgundy ribbon tied around her waist which had what looked like silver flowers stitched into it. Obviously this wasn't really made for walking, just for show. She had long dark eyes lashes and piercing silver eyes that were filled with bliss. The girl was holding a bouquet of flowers in her delicate hands whist being surrounded by thousands of flowers in a garden. This was no Shinobi, she wasn't even normal she was like the man said 'a princess'.

He looked closer at the female's small face shape and the bright yellow sun shaped diamond hair pin that was stuck in her hair. She looked familiar; in fact the picture triggered something in the back of his mind. A long ago forgotten memory, he didn't relive until now. It couldn't be her, could it? No, something was off about this picture, he had only known two people with pink hair and that was Sakura and that woman from before…but her hair wasn't pink was it? He certainly never remembered ever seeing this girl, no, not with pink hair but her face, those thick lashes and thin eyebrows those did look familiar, even the length of her hair kept bothering him. _Where have I see her? Didn't that day in the village Itachi…? No. So who is she, and why do I remember a hair pin?_

Despite all of his inner questions he had to admit she was _okay_ looking. She was defiantly not the type of girl he'd like if he was concerned with that sort of thing. The girl was too pampered and obviously couldn't do anything for herself. She was in one word-weak. Even Sakura could probably eat her alive. She was the defended not the defender. The hunted not a hunter. In other words she was a baby lamb _not_ a lion.

He handed the picture over to Hitenzo and asked, "How recent is this photo?"

"Well," the man started, "I took it two weeks ago, the beginning of spring to be exact."

"I see. This pin," Sasuke pointed toward the hair pin, "Is there any more like it?"

"Dang, Sasuke you playing 20 questions or something?" Naruto said frowning, then a smile broke across his face, "I told you she was pretty!"

He laughed and was quickly shushed by Kakashi who apparently found his interrogations quite interesting.

"There were only ever two pins similar to that one, and one had the sun and moon diamonds on it and the other and a crystal moon."

* * *

"What the heck is wrong with you Kazune? I could have killed you, you idiot!" Akari screamed at the smiling boy.

Kazune wrapped his arms around her and embraced her, "Where did you run off to? You had me worried, there. I thought I would have to find you myself. And why do you always call me by full name when you yell at me? I like the way you say my name but I prefer when it when you call me Miki like you always did since we were little, Kari." He said pulling her tighter her hands where aloft to her sides and the kunai was embedded into the nearby wall.

"Kazune, let go of me! And were you crying just now?" she asked as his hold did not loosen.

"I wish you'd tell me, when you plan to disappear," he said in her ear is calm voice sounding a little possessive, "Or at least take me with you next time you go. You realize I always worry about you…the most."

"Whatever. You done yet? I don't want to have forcefully remove you from my room, Kazune." She spat at him trying to wiggle out of his grasp. The boy was taller than she but certainly not stronger; if she wanted to she could snap him like a twig. He was slim and like many of the nobles he didn't do much.

He buried his head in her hair, "I wish you'd stop being so cold to me. You act like you hate me."

Why did he always feel the need to do this? It makes her sick how he'd act so whiny and needy all the time. On more than one occasion she's told him to man up or something along those lines and he'd just smile at her with his great, shiny, sparkly amazing smile that drove girls crazy, all girls except her. She was immune to his handsome face and overprotective attitude and wonderful personality by now. And yes those are good qualities but he was so darn annoying, he was everywhere! Not that she really hated him; it's just made her angry how he acted like she was weak.

She finally shoved him off and felt a little sorry for him after he recovered and looked at her with those vibrant, electric green eyes of his that were the prize you could win you married the guy. Yep, you'd get to look at those eyes all day.

"You know you can't come with me Miki… you wouldn't last a day outside all this," she gestured around her, "Besides you can't go roaming around with me anymore like when we were eleven." She said and wanted to say, "Because you're betrothed now."

"You're probably right," Miki said smiling, "But that still doesn't mean I can't. You do all the time and you're a girl. If you can," the boy said leaning into her face, "I can."

_Way to close_, she thought scooting away and looking toward her window, _the sun's going down…full moon tonight._

"I'm leaving," the girl finished getting up when a hand shot up and grabbed hers.

"You can't," Kazune replied, "There's something I need to tell you about Kaori."

She couldn't stay any longer; she had really had to leave now.

"Wait! Stay, I need you," he said urgently as she thrust open the balcony doors.

"Go and ask your _betrothed_ for help." She spat at him jumping from the railing and continuing to run as he called her name.

Akari didn't stop running until she was deep into the forest of their little 'town'. She didn't want to deal with that old crush she used to have on him before she found out, he'd be marrying Revie. Of course she didn't blame her sister, she was born first and that just what happen's in the family. Akari just happened to be born a second later than her twin. The one who's supposed to be the Head is to be married first. Strange tradition but it is what it is. _We couldn't help what we was born into, she couldn't help she was born with the sun and I couldn't help I was born with the moon. Besides…there's only one person I truly love…not that he thought of me that way._

She began to walk again and stopped when she reached a tiny clearing and sat on a rock and turned her body to face the moon which was no longer blocked by trees. Sadly the moon was not full, _I must have gotten the wrong date on the calendar. That's strange;_ she paused looking up at the moon, _its blood red_.

"You always were fond of the darkness," the one voice in the whole world that she knew without even having to think about it spoke to her softly.

"Not the darkness, but the beautiful light you could find in it," she replied turning to face Itachi Uchiha.

* * *

Sasuke just couldn't shake the feeling that he met her before. Even when the rest of his team slept he just couldn't stop thinking about it. He stood next to the window and looked up toward the above moon. _Another night and it'll be full_, Sasuke thought as an eerie feeling crawled over his skin, _the moon is covered in blood?_

* * *

Without thinking about it Akari bolted up and buried her head in his chest, "Took you long enough! Why didn't you come sooner? You promised the last time." She said and tried to remember the last time they met, but it was all fuzzy and made her head hurt to think about it.

"Forgive me," Itachi replied. And Akari released him almost immediately after he said those words. He told her those words when he left before her mother was kill-taken away from her. Thinking about her mother being murdered was something she didn't like to think about too often. Her insides started to burn and her face began to feel funny but as always; she didn't shed a tear.

She shook her head, "Itachi?"

His eyes were impassive and not the same as they were before. Before he had a type of light to his eyes only to be described as breathtaking, that wasn't so now. His Sharingan masked his true eyes and even though she thought his Sharingan was beautiful it scared her a little tonight. _He never wore his Sharingan with me before_; she thought unconsciously backing away, _what happened to make him so…cold._

As if he sensed her pause his eyes lightened a little, "Usually I'd ask if you missed me but…that doesn't seem the case." He neared her and she shivered slightly when he kissed her forehead, "You also didn't address me by saying 'big brother' either. What's wrong? You do not fear me do you?"

She saw a small smile twitch at the corner of his lips and she released her worries, "Sorry just…a little shaken today that's all. Besides you know why I don't call you big brother anymore so don't get so," she paused as he smiled a little bigger. A few years ago she told him she loved him more than any man on the face of the earth. She kind of regret saying it now it made her look so young and childish, not strong.

"Don't worry I remember," he said brushing her hair to the side and sticking a pin in her hair, "You dropped this when you were hunting."

"Oh," she blushed but thank God you couldn't tell on her skin but faintly, "You watched?"

"Of course had to make sure you weren't mauled by any animals," he said laughing.

The girl protested, "You don't have to watch over me anymore you know! I have been training with the Raikage and his brother for years now, I'm not the same little girl you met being hunted by a wolf, Itachi. I'm a Shinobi now, I may not be at your level but-"

"I wish you wouldn't get so angry with me," he cut in taking her chin his hand. Usually at a time like this she would giggle like crazy and think 'big brother's so pretty' but not this time she couldn't stay a child forever.

She turned away from him and sighed, "I wish you wouldn't treat me like such a kid, Itachi."

"I don't mean to get you so upset, but you're right you aren't that little girl I used to find searching for me in the woods or clinging to my sides every time I would visit…I should go now," he sighed, and turned, "I have someone waiting for me."

"It's not a girl is it!" she blurted out and quickly then covered her mouth.

He laughed, "I didn't realize you were so protective of me. But no I do not."

She stood on the rock and wrapped her arms his neck and clung to him like a child would a favorite teddy bear. He still faced forward but spoke, "I didn't know I had this effect on you."

She frowned, "Liar."

He chuckled, "I can't take you with me, you have a family and friends. You belong here."

"Did you give that same speech to your brother when you left," she said wanting her words to hurt to cut him like the many times his has cut her.

"Akari, it's not the same besides, your sister needs you right know and so does your father."

"Why do you always bring those two up? Yes I love my sister dearly and would kill for her, but she has my father and the rest of my clan. My father has his precious heir and I only have her and Yorimaru. So don't go this time just stay."

He sighed.

"My father hasn't looked at me with love in his eyes since the day I was born and he never will. I don't know if all parents have favorites but mine had. Brother and Revie were his and me? I don't even know. Mother took me everywhere with her but it was just another way of apologizing for me not being born like her. She was day and me, I'm night."

"You know I can't stay."

"I do." She admitted, "I do like to try though, so next time come back sooner."

He nodded.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"You're such a liar, Itachi. But I don't care either way."

He turned to face his eyes locked into hers, "And you were always so naïve, Akari."

She looked into his Sharingan and everything went black.

* * *

Akari woke up on the couch in her mother's study where no one else dared to go except her. _Damn-Darn you Itachi!_

She stood up and walked out the door down the hallway and up another flight of stairs. While she walked she noticed there was a large commotion coming from downstairs, she didn't really care either way so she continued to her room; wasn't any of her business. She was just an extra.

Akari came to her room to bathe and noticed Miki wasn't on her bed anymore. _What time was it? How long I was out?_ She needed some answers but she also needed a bath so after she had that she went to look for Revie.

Went she reached Revie's room she heard sniffling and great sobs coming from the room so she entered knowing the only person who could cheer Revie up was she. _So in a way Itachi was right Revie did need me._ That just made her love him more_; he's the most unselfish person I know._

She walked in and was surprised at what she saw, a grown man crying in the middle of Revie's room. _That's bizarre_.

The man turned on her and embraced her; she was surprised because this was the first in like four years that he actually hugged her, "I'm sorry I failed you, Akari. B-But she's gone. They took her and I was too weak to stop them."

Akari shrugged away from her father, "What do you mean, she's gone? Who is she?" that's when it all finally hit her. Miki wanted to talk to her about Kaori, and he had been crying.

"They finally succeeded. They kidnapped Kaori," her father sobbed and silent alien tears began to run down her face, "No…"

* * *

"When will we get there? I'm starved!" Naruto roared.

"We'll be there in a few hours, so calm down Naruto." Kakashi replied simply.

_I can't wait till we get there and then maybe Sasuke will stop acting so weird_, Naruto thought glancing over at his raven-haired comrade, _he hasn't said anything all morning and last night he was talking in his sleep about some girl named Kari or Akara or something, I'm starting to get worried._

Sakura locked eyes with him she too worried, _I hope this hasn't anything to do with Itachi or Sasuke just might…_

* * *

The only thing she and her father had in common was Kaori or Revie as Akari nicknamed her when they were little. Kaori gave everyone an excuse to be selfish with her, she was light itself and in Akari's opinion she was the only thing that redeemed their entire family. Her angelic smile and chipper and blissful demeanor was only one of the many things that made her a light. Even though Akari became a second thought to the family because Kaori was around, she really didn't care. Kaori was pure and couldn't help the way she was. Akari would rather her sister be the head anyway, so that everyone would do their part in protecting her. That is also what pushed Akari to become strong. She loved Kaori she really did but Kaori couldn't truly defend herself so she volunteered to take care of that. And Kaori was the one who looked up to Akari because she regarded Akari as her big sister.

Akari grabbed her legs and pulled them to her as she sat huddled by the window in her sister's room. She had been sitting there since the yesterday morning and now it was about to be dawn again. The only thing she did since then was bathe again and then she did it to make herself stop crying. Her father after a while of trying to get her to talk gave up and left the room. The only person who didn't give up on her was Yorimaru who was by her side in the darkness.

Revie's voice ran through her ears the whole night:

_ "Hey, Akari! What are you doing practicing your aim? Can I watch?"_

_ "Here, Kari. Smell these roses, there your favorites right?"_

_ "I brought you some lunch! Time for a break!'_

_ "Can you show me how to throw senbon?"_

_ "Wow Akari! You're so amazing!"_

_ "You're going to be a splendid Shinobi one day, I'm sure of it!"_

One particular incident rattled through her brain.

_ "Hey, why are you in the woods Akari?" Revie asked, coming closer to her sister._

_ "Did you follow me in here? You know it's dangerous, let's go back," she said taking steps toward the house and her sister._

_ "Here smell these blue roses!" Revie said trying to go downhill but fell instead the bouquet of roses she held fell all along the ground._

_ Immediately after she fell Akari sensed a presence stalking her sister and reached for a rose at her feet, its stem was cut at a sharp point. She threw the rose like she would a senbon needle or kunai and it made contact with the predatory animal who was stalking her sister, in mid pounce. Quickly she threw two more and nailed it in the neck._

_ Her sister picked up her dress and dragged her eleven year old self over to Akari._

_ "Oh Akari, give me your hand those roses must have cut you!" Revie tore a piece of cloth from her favorite dress and wrapped it around her sister's scratched hand, "there, all better!"_

_ Akari stared at her sister who wasn't even scared, "Thank you Revie."_

_ "Thank you Akari for saving me," the girl smiled._

_ "You weren't scared?"_

_ "Of course not! As long as you're here what's there to be scared about!"_

Akari wiped every tear from her face and stood up, _there's no time to cry, my sister's counting on me! I've got save her!_

She went to her room and found a cloak and her things. Akari strapped her shuriken holder to her right thigh and faced her window, _it's early noon now, and I've got to get going._

* * *

"Its about time!" the blonde shouted as they walked toward the palace, through the rest of the little town that surrounded it.

"Hn." Sasuke said as he stopped and looked on the ground. A figure was casting a shadow. There was someone on the roof of the building above them. He looked up and saw a girl with long hair that was the colors of the moon and she wore a long cloak.

"Sasuke, do you see what I see?" Naruto asked in a slightly more serious tone. The building was about two stories but it wasn't anything special so the girl was quite easy to see.

He looked at her face and both of their eyes locked for an instanst. The girl's eyes were pink. A shocked look crossed the girl's face and she full on her hood and ran in the opposite direction.

Without thinking, Sasuke's feet were off the ground and he was tailing her, Naruto beside him. _You can't escape_.

"Naruto! Sasuke wait!" Kakashi shouted after them but Sasuke didn't hear. All he knew was that something was wrong here and he was determined to find out!

* * *

_ Damn! They spotted me! What are ninja doing here? Maybe they came for my sister but were too late_? She reasoned turning to leave, _whatever the reason they're not going to get what they came for!_

Akari jumped over the side of the building and in mid leap she turned her body to face her pursuers and pulled out six senbon clutched between her fingers. She made an 'x' with her arms and her eyes quickly searched for the weakest link. Behind the two boys was a much slower girl in red, _Gotcha!_ She realized something as she was readying the senbon but she didn't aim for vital spots as she had planned to. Akari pulled her shot as soon as she saw the girl's pink hair. Instead she aimed for the ends of her clothes and settled for throwing the needles with enough force to pin the girl down. Akari channeled her chakra into the senbon and took the shot with enough speed the girl didn't see it coming.

As the girl plummeted Akari heard what looked like the oldest of the four of them, call her name, _Sakura I think._

She continued picking up her pace and charged over the houses and various buildings and headed for the clearing inside the forest where she was sure she could finish them.

As she was running her hood flew off and her hair blew out behind her along with the wind, oh well, she felt better with the thing off any way.

"Hey! Princess slow down, we're here to bring you back to the palace!" the blonde haired one yelled behind her.

She sped up even further until she heard some footsteps behind her, the blonde had made shadow clones! _I guess a fight can't be helped!_

Akari didn't slow her pace and as the thought began in her mind her hands began to weave signs. She jumped into the air above the clones and put her hands together:

_Wind Style! Never-ending Cyclone!_

A tornado like wind cycle escaped her mouth and obliterated every clone on site.

* * *

"I assumed she couldn't fight," Naruto replied to Sasuke who just gave him a look, "She being a princess and all."

"Naruto didn't you notice something's up with her," Sasuke said to the idiot, both still in persuit, "She not the girl from the photo."

A look of surprise crossed Naruto's face.

"That's right ya dobe, she has blue hair and the girl in the photo has pink. They're not the same girl. That means…" he waited for Naruto to draw his own conclusion.

"She's an imposter."

"Something along those lines."

"But shouldn't we hold back Sasuke? She might know something about the real princess. And she is a girl after all."

"Yeah and she's also a girl who completely obliterated your shadow clones without blinking an eye." _But the dobe's right we can't afford to have her too hurt, we just need to capture her…but the girl's pretty fast. How are we going to capture her if she's this fast? Not to mention the little girl uses senbon needles just like Haku, damn, Sasuke smiled, this sure is going to be interesting._

A look of doubt crossed his face as kunai came barring into their direction. Sasuke deflected some and dodged the rest, _what was her game? And if she was a princess how did she learn to fight like that?_

"Why are you following me?" the girl shouted in front of them.

"Why are you running?" Sasuke replied. The girl stopped and Sasuke noticed they were in a clearing now and beside them stood a lake. _We're screwed if she uses water style too._

"Yeah, we're not going to hurt you," Naruto added as ten clones appeared at his sides. _Idiot!_

The girl smiled and her fast hands drew some signs and she pulled out about eight senbon. _A shadow clone jutsu?_

In a small puff of smoke the number of senbon increased to what Sasuke guessed to be about eighty. _What are you planning to do?_

"You two seem to be pretty light on your feet. So I don't plan on going easy on you in fact I'll give you the honor of experiencing one of my own jutsu. But I must warn you its damn near impossible to dodge. If you do make it out…," the girl's grin turned deadly, "it will be nothing less than a miracle."

_Wind Style! Damn_! "Naruto! Move! Get behind me!" Sasuke yelled as the girl finished with her last sign.

"Wind Style: Dancing Claws!"

Sasuke's hands moved as the mountain of senbon accelerated in their direction:

_Fire Style! Fire-Ball Jutsu!_

The fire ball consumed most of the senbon and it was easy enough to have Naruto's clones take the rest of them_. _Relived Sasuke smirked, "I thought you said it was damn near _impossible_ to dodge. Or was all that just talk."

The smoke cleared and Sasuke's eyes searched for the girl.

"Nope. It was just a distraction," she replied coolly.

"For what?"

"This!"

Sasuke had barely enough time to register the girl standing next to him before he received a kick that sent him flying.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted and charged the girl. "I don't want to hurt you!"

The girl paused and stared at Naruto, then shook her head. She looked as if she was contemplating something, "I wish I could believe you," she said as her figure was now a blur, "But I can't afford to be lied to. Forgive me…but I'll have to _kill_ you."

* * *

**N/A: Did you like? Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4: Scars, Crests,and Curse Marks

**Oh yeah I changed the summary because it kind of didn't go with the flow of the story and it was weak for a summary…I never was really that good at writing summaries. Oh and no this is not anti-Sakura…I actually don't hate her so those who are die hard Sakura fans no worries here.**

**So hello there! I'm updating now because I won't be able to for a while because of my other stories that in all fairness I have put off updating because I had exams then I just got lazy…so here it is…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto just my characters and the fake history that belongs to me…let's begin….**

**Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams!**

**.;:Chapter 4: Scars, Crests and Curse Marks:;.**

"It's over…" Sasuke smirked as the side of his kunai was barely a full centimeter away from the girl's neck_. Like she'd actually get me with that…but that was some kick if I would've gotten hit there's no telling if I would still be able to stand._

_ Poof!_

"The substitution jutsu…you're fast," the girl admitted, "I should have guessed as much."

"Hn." _What now?_ Naruto grinned in front of the two and made about a thousand clones. _You have no way to run…it really is over._

"I shouldn't have underestimated you both," the silver haired girl spoke and paused, "If you don't mind me asking blondie…that is some chakra you have…I have never met anyone with more chakra than me other than Killer Bee…are you special?"

_More chakra?_ Sasuke's mind drifted to he and Naruto's confrontation with Gaara, _did she have chakra like them? _

"I'll tell you if you tell us why you've been posing as the Tsukuyomi Princess?" Naruto said triumphantly happy to be holding all the cards.

"Posing? Oh, you two really must be outsiders if you don't know already…but all those who are usually interested in the Clan know…this must be _my_ lucky day…" she turned and faced Sasuke knowing full well he wouldn't stab her with his kunai, _what is she…_

The girl faced the Uchiha eyes closed and part of his knuckle made the faintest contact with her skin where he was still holding the kunai knife. At the contact the girl and Sasuke's eyes' locked. _What is this?_ Sasuke felt himself being dragged away from the present and pulled back farther his breathing shortened and the clearing began to spin. Then suddenly it all just stopped.

"Your eyes…there just like…" the girl's eyes were wide as Sasuke regained his state of mind. _Did I? No _she_ stopped what she was doing… so that was one of the Realms she was pulling me in? This girl is no imposter…that Hitenzo sure left out a hell of a lot of information. Twins._

Akari's eyes finally registered the Leaf Headbands and those eyes…those dark eyes. They were just like his; just like Itachi's so does this mean that he's Itachi's brother? No. It couldn't be.

She leaped away from the raven haired boy and a few clones of the blonde one charged her. She had made a mistake. Her mother had always told her she could trust the Leaf, in fact when her mother was alive Konoha was like their home away from home.

The thoughts of the past and her brother tried to bring themselves forth but were thwarted by this unbelievable pain that etched through her brain making her knees collapse underneath her. She clutched at her head and tried to think happy thoughts to make the pain stop.

"Naruto!" the dark haired boy yelled to his companion. _I need to counter before he…_

Flames burst out and ended the clones charge. Akari looked up and saw the raven-haired boy standing in front of her just finishing a fire-ball jutsu. The pain in her head subsided as soon as her eyes met with the boy's crest positioned proudly on his back.

"Yo, Loser I told you to stop didn't I?" the dark haired boy growled at the said Loser.

"Why did you wait so late, huh Sasuke? I could've have seriously hurt her! She was all crumpled on the ground…what did you do to her? That's do way to treat a lady Sasuke!" the Blonde loser yelled back him raising a fist in the air making his way toward them.

"Whatever. She's not an imposter dobe…she's just a twin sister." This Sasuke replied with a slight frown, "And I didn't do anything to her, she just fell suddenly… I didn't touch her."

"That's a relief!" the blonde eyed the still somewhat crumpled girl on the clearing floor. "Hey, Sasuke why'd you have to go an show off like that? Making me look bad. With your little fire-balls telling me what to do…"

"U-Uchiha?" Akari asked struggling to stand, the blonde bounced over and immediately helped her up. "Thank you…"

"Naruto Uzumaki! The next Hokage!" Naruto grinned widely at her. "Oh and sorry we scared you…we thought you were some kind of imposter looking just like the Princess and all. The old guy didn't tell us she had such a pretty sister!"

She smiled back at him, "thank you. Oh and are you an Uchiha?"

Akari directed her question to this Sasuke. He turned to her, "You know of us?"

Her eyes immediately looked to the trees beyond, was he still there? Watching from afar? Did he see her or did he move on already?

She nodded, "I've seen you before…"

The boy inched closer, looking her over with a blank expression.

"Sasuke, you know her?" Naruto asked.

Akari looked at the sky once more she really had to move if she was going to catch up with Revie's kidnappers, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience and for also assuming the worst and attacking you, but now that everything's all sorted out I've got to go."

"Where?" the Uzumaki kid quizzed concern washing over his face, even one of the Uchiha's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"My sister, Revie needs me and I swore I'd always protect her…" she stopped, looking at the ground trying not to let any emotion seep into her voice, "I've got to find her, and afterward I'll find him and make him give me answers…"

"Who?"

She didn't get a chance answer that question because the second time she looked up she stared into a Sharingan and was out cold, "Damn you Ita-"

"That was harsh wasn't it Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto complained as Kakashi picked the girl up bridal style.

_What was she saying? _

"I had watched her little fall out and noticed she was already having a hard time standing," Kakashi stated replacing his headband over his left eye, "For a princess she put up quite a fight."

_What was it?_

"What! And you didn't jump in sooner!"

_Ita-_

"I wanted to see how strong she was and if she knew how to use that special power of hers and if I wasn't mistaken and my eyes didn't deceive me I'd say she was just about to use it on our Sasuke." Kakashi said with a smile.

Sasuke didn't notice the ongoing conversation around him his mind was too busy putting the pieces together. _She obviously hadn't seen Kakashi before and the only other people she could have known with a Sharingan were me and Itachi. And the last time I saw her Itachi had just pointed her and what I guess was her mother out to me when I was…five? She had seen Sharingan before and someone had used it on her before probably more than once by the way she cursed it._

Finally it all dawned on Sasuke, she knew Itachi…she knew his Sharingan. He'd use it to knock someone out in a second, he knew, he had been on the receiving end of it many times before. What was their relationship? _Was that monster using her power?_ No he was jumping to conclusions…it couldn't be could it?

"Apparently she stopped the jutsu all together for some reason," Kakashi said thoughtfully finally getting Sasuke's attention, "She stared at you like she had seen you somewhere before. And even more curious she had had a perfect chance to kill Sakura but she didn't, she pulled her shot. Though Sakura's case can easily be explained away…she obviously pulled her shot because of the hair; Sakura's hair is pink… just like her sister's."

_Damn, Damn, and triple damn_, Akari cursed rising out of her bed, _that man got me, but he wasn't Itachi…no Itachi's Sharingan worked a little better than this man's did and he only had it in one eye._

She huffed and pulled on a robe that was laid out for her on her large bed and tried to open the door. It wouldn't budge. She tried once more and it still didn't move. Something was blocking her door.

_Okay then, I see how it going to be_, she thought looking over to her balcony.

Then she thought about it she really didn't want to go all the way outside just to have to use another window just to get in. _Here we go_, she took a few steps back and ran at the door with a good push her feet left the ground and she brought her right leg up and smashed the door in.

She landed lightly on the other side and with a satisfied, "Hmph!" she started down stairs. "My apologies." She spoke to the two guards on the floor now clutching their sides.

Akari continued downstairs until she came to a meeting room which was reserved for the special meetings with other Head clansmen. She heard talking so she strolled right in and took in the scene. Akari tried to run a hand through her hair but found it had been braided in a single braid. She didn't like her hair being braided; one huge, heavy braid was annoying.

"Glad to see you're awake," a silvery haired man spoke as she began taking the braid out. Her eyes darted to the people sitting around the table, her father's seat, at the head of the table, was not taken; _he's not here._

She focused her gazed on those she met in the clearing the Uchiha and blonde kid Naruto sat across from one another. The pink one sat next to the blonde and the man who used his Sharingan against her was beside the raven. Hitenzo was beside the Head's chair and stared at her with a worried expression; she gave him a blank stare in return and continued on into the room.

"How come no one told me?" she half asked and half shouted, a threatening looked glided across her face.

"You were away and we thought it would be safer that way…" Hitenzo answered in return his tone uncertain.

She called him on it, "Liar!"

"Lady Kaori was kidnapped without my knowledge until after I arrived in Konoha, there was no way I could tell you," he said more sincerely.

Her eyes fell down ward and she noticed how clean the floors were, "So…I guess," she started a sadness in her voice, "_he_ didn't want me to know about it then…until I came back."

Hitenzo got up from his seat and fell on his knees at her feet, "Your father thought that you would go after her if you knew…"

"My father was right. I would and I plan to," she said, "Whether you like it or not…besides I'm just a pawn, it doesn't really matter if I die anyways…just as long as she lives right?" she said the last part a little bitterly but gladly knowing he couldn't disagree to this, she already knew the truth why hide it?

The girl named Sakura gave her a sad look and steeled herself as if she was expecting tears.

"You are important to this family…that's why I can't allow you to go," Hitenzo stated looking at her, she walked away from him and plopped down in a seat beside the silver haired one. "Its too dangerous to go alone."

She looked at the table for a while and found her words finally she looked up at the silver haired man, her eyes begging, "Let me come with you. I'll be more useful then Hitenzo would, besides I know my sister…," she said, "please, I told her I'd always be there for her, if I'm not…then-"

She stopped unable to go on and on the edge of tears, if she could actually cry.

"She should come with us," one voice sounded, and Akari's head snapped up to look at the raven-haired boy. "Naruto and I fought her…she pretty strong, she would be more useful."

"Yeah! I agree the old man will only slow us down!" the blonde huffed out crossing his arms and pouting. She smiled at the two and mouthed a thank you that the blonde return with a smile and the Uchiha gave a nod to.

The silver haired man's eye closed and thought for a moment, "Fine. But you will follow my orders and if I say fall back, you will."

She smiled, "Of course!" she said with glee embracing the man, this was the happiest she'd been all day.

"B-But this is an outrage! How could-

The silver haired man broke into Hitenzo's objections, "If you wish to accompany her you can. I'm only saving you the trouble of having her follow us anyway, you know she will. Besides she'll be with me and I'm a perfectly capable jonin. Discussion over."

Akari couldn't believe her ears, just like that she was coming and she was technically going to be able to use her skills in combat, this was just like Christmas.

Hitenzo go to fum in another room. And the others stretched. The Jonin placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'll you all the things we discussed in the morning but right now you must rest, you need your strength." She nodded and she too stood.

The pink haired girl walked over to her with a smile, "Nice to meet you, I'm Sakura Haruno."

Obviously she knew her name but what the hell, "I'm Akari Tsukuyomi, oh and sorry about before." She added. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

The girl blushed probably embarrassed, "No. I'm fine, how are you feeling?"

The boys walked over and Akari's smile got bigger, "Oh those two were nothing special."

Sasuke smirked, "We were holding back remember, we didn't want to hurt you shrimp."

She opened her mouth in protest, but he was a head taller than she so she let it go, "Whatever, that's what all boys say. But I can make an example out of you, wanna take this outside?"

"Tch. You don't mean that." He replied with a smug look.

"Sasuke stop being rude!" Naruto yelled.

She smiled at the two started the argument, _this could actually work._

Akari awoke with a start and relaxed almost immediately; she was used to the dreams that haunted her in her sleep by now, there was no way to run away from it.

She ran a hand through her hair and flung her covers away from her, and started for the door when she felt a weird sensation run through her body; she wasn't the only one having a nightmare. Shaking the feeling away she walked out of her bedroom door and began to make her way downstairs, she knew the place well especially in the dark.

The girl's mind traveled through her dream once again and she saw her mother's cold body lying on the cold wood floor, she cringed away from the memory. She knew she should be used to it by now, without Revie she always had horrible nightmares and they all consisted of the same things. It would either be of her brother still, but bloody body in her arms, her mother's cold form, or Itachi if she was lucky and if she was really lucky, which was rarely the case, she didn't dream at all. Not dreaming was about as likely as a drought was in this country, it was too likely. The girl sighed_, bad dreams…they always come back._

Sasuke's snapped open at the sight of his older brother's figure hovering over their parents heads. He knew what was going to happen there was no need for him to watch again. Sasuke knew the routine start to finish, whenever he dreamt about it, he never stayed asleep too long tonight just happened to be one of those nights that his scars of the past was to make themselves known.

The raven-haired boy shrugged off the dream and continued downstairs, he needed to walk around besides he wanted time to explore in peace, without Sakura and Naruto tailing him.

Sasuke was about to walk into one of the studys when he saw a figure sitting crossed legged on the couch. The room was pitch black but one thing he did see was too pink eyes snap up to meet his own.

"Oh, its just you," Sasuke spoke his tone bored, and uninterested. His eyes flew across the room and came back to the girl on the couch, her eyes look tired. "Why are you in here?" he asked without really wanting to know.

"That's funny I was just about to ask you the same question," Akari replied, standing up and swaying slightly when she did so. "This is my house."

Sasuke grunted and turned away from the girl, "Do whatever you want, it was just a question."

The girl seemed to think about this and for a second she smiled slightly. Out of the corner of his eye Sasuke saw the girl sigh, "I couldn't sleep." She admitted then took a step closer to Sasuke, "I guess you couldn't either could you?"

He didn't say anything just put his hands in his pockets and turned a little to face the blue haired girl.

"I felt you…" she said lifting her her up slightly making full eye contact now. Her head tilted slightly to the right and walked past him out of the door.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes after her and followed her, his interest finally peaking.

They came to what looked like the huge kitchen and she warmed some tea. Whilst doing so she motioned for him to sit down. He stared it for a while and sat down; _like I've got something better to do._

She placed a cup of steaming hot tea in front of him and sipped a cup herself. Sasuke drank from his and narrowed his eyes at her, "What did you mean 'felt' me?" Sasuke asked.

"Saying I heard you wouldn't have quite the correct thing to say either so I said I felt you," she said to the Uchiha not making eye contact, staring into her tea. "You were having a nightmare, weren't you?"

Sasuke's eyes widened with surprise until he remember with whom he was dealing with. _She is of Tsukuyomi, she's isn't psychic its just what her clan's kei kei genkai is._

"Hn," he responed and added, "I disturbed you?"

"Is that your way of apologizing?" she smiled slightly, restablishing the eye contact.

He looked at the pink eyed girl in front of him and smiked, "No."

She smiled a little bigger and rolled her eyes, "You actually didn't wake me, I had already woken up from a nightmare of my own…" she trailed off, her eyes dimming and smile fading. "My dreams are always so vividly clear, humph, I guess that's the curse mark of our clan our dreams…" without meaning to Sasuke touched his own cursemark.

Sasuke didn't speak just examined the girl's expression, she's broken…like I used to be when I first lost my…clan.

"You know the worst scars you can ever receive aren't physical? No, the type of scars that can really haunt you are those scars that can't be seen," she ran a hand through her head and laughed a little bitterly, "those are the real scars. Those and the marks of the clans. The crests, those are real scars."

There was so much darkness to the girl he had never seen before, granted he had just met her, but she seemed like a tougher and stronger version of Sakura…not this girl he sees now. She seemed so cold and alone.

"You may think I'm just some spoiled little girl who likes to complain…well honestly I don't really give a damn what you think. I don't know why I'm telling you this but… for some reason I believe you know what it's like to feel alone…" the girl yawned and her eyes closed slightly, her thoughtful demeanor disappearing.

He rolled his eyes and smirked, "You should go back to sleep, you'll need your strength tomorrow." He stated finishing off his tea.

"Sasuke," she asked, opening her eyes again, "Are you tired?"

"Yeah." He said with an eyebrow raised.

"Can you do me a quick favor?"

He furrowed his brow, here we go…

Akari walked the familiar halls until she found the door that lead to her sister's garden. She glanced behind her and found that indeed Sasuke was following her, what she really wanted to know was his relationship to Itachi and if he was indeed his brother, but she'd have to wait till later to find out.

"Revie is usually the one to help me sleep but coming here is just as good," she announced to the Uchiha who wore a confused expression on his face. She turned ahead and continued until she found the place she and Revive would kind of camp at for the night. Large pillows and covers covered the spot whilst roses surrounded it all.

"What are we doing here?" the Uchiha asked irritation in his voice.

"You know I think I like you better when we were fighting," she answered and plopped down on a bed sized pillow.

He smirked, "I liked you better when I didn't know you."

She put a hand over her heart and smiled, "That really hurts! You are so mean!"

"What's with your personality change?" he asked he too taking a seat.

She looked confused and thought for a minute, "Comes with the territory I guess," The girl looked down then gazed back up at him, "You're pretty cute, you know…it's just that attitude of yours that's ugly."

"Whatever, what now?" he asked rolling his eyes.

"Well we knock each other out by pressing a peculiar point on the body and Bam!" she exclaimed, "Sleep here we come!"

He placed a hand on her shoulder where the point should be and she did the same.

"On three…one…two…"

Everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5: If Time Stood Still

**Hi! It's been a while hasn't it? Well I won't babble on because I have quite a ways to go…anyway…**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams**

**.;:Chapter Four: If Time Stood Still…:;.**

Akari's eyes opened rather slowly as a few rays of sunshine seeped through the overhead trees. Feeling refreshed she stood, and shook herself fully awake. Today was the day.

_We're coming Revie…I promise I'll save you and I will, no matter the cost, bring you back home._

Taking one last stretch she looked over to the sleeping Uchiha. He looked so much sweeter when he was sleeping, so harmless. She laughed to herself, deciding she wouldn't ruin the moment and sprinted towards the manor she knew to be her home.

She entered through her balcony (as always) and slipped inside. A smile found its place on her lips the moment she saw a large amount of fur on her bed. Sighing she walked around her bed to her private bathroom to take a shower and prepare for the day ahead. The water however seemed nonexistent as it showered down on her skin. She only knew of its presence because she could see the droplets of water blasting through the nozzle. The only thought on her mind was Revie's smiling face as a reminder she needed to focus. _Focus_.

* * *

"Okay! Ninja tools?" she asked the tiger poised on her bed. He blinked and she took that as a yes. "scrolls?" another blink, "cloak?" he nodded to the midnight blue colored cloak to his left, "back pack?" he tilted his huge head to the right.

_One more breath…alright…_

"Let's go!"

* * *

Sakura's gaze shot from the pacing blonde boy to Kakashi-sensei and to the fidgeting Hitenzo; they were obviously worried. She oddly felt awkward watching them. She could _feel_ the different energizes oozing from the males and she felt…distant and out of place. Sakura was _glad_ that Akari would be joining them on their journey she was a little relieved to have another female in the group but as she stared at the boys she had the feeling Akari's presence would only escalate the nerve racking scene ahead of her.

_The tension in the room is just too…_

"Naruto," Sakura nudged the slouching boy her gaze drifting across the large room that resembled a throne room with two chairs at its center.

"Hmm? What's up Sakura?" he replied with an enthusiastic smile. He didn't even try to notice high tension in the room; he was oblivious. _Typical Naruto._

"Who's he?" she gestured to the pacing blonde boy with bright yellow hair and handsome face, her tone tentative and quiet. He was really…cute! He was a contrast to Sasuke's brooding good looks. He looked like a prince who'd always marry the princess in the fairy tales. The boy also looked extremely angry for some reason and his classically beautiful face was contorted beyond reason.

Naruto frowned, "Oh, you must mean the blonde kid?"

She nodded her eyes stealing another glance at the furious pacing Prince.

"How should I know?" he spouted with an uncalled for tut of his lips.

"Naruto! If you didn't know anything just say so!" she roared with a fist raised. _You idiot!_

"Welcome young Princess," Kakashi spoke out with a smile, his tone seeming misplaced with the apparent tension.

Sakura's head whipped around to the towering door a few feet behind them. _Akari!_

"You guys sure do wake up early," the slivery-blue haired girl replied entering with her tiger companion at her right, a back pack strapped to him. Sakura glanced kindly at the girl;_ well_ _she was pretty like a princess and had a real confidence about herself too. Of course she also had the ninja ability which her counterpart lacked._ She was unique and Sakura had become accustomed to her.

_He's coming too?_ Her eyes locked on the humongous tiger and felt a little taken aback by its presence having not enough time to become accustomed to it yet.

"Took you long enough," Sasuke reported as if from nowhere. But almost instinctively Sakura's eyes found him closer to the door than they were. _Strange_, she thought_, I didn't even notice him. _

Akari stuck out her tongue in protest, "Ugh! I liked you better when you were asleep."

"The feeling's mutual…believe me," he smirked, eyes closed and voice bored as ever.

She smiled in response, "So rude, do wake up mean?"

He opened his eyes and narrowed them, "You didn't bother to wake me up, consider it pay back."

"You looked tired," she put her hands up in defense, "I was doing you a favor besides I had to prepare my stuff-"

"You're leaving!" a voice shouted as if out of the blue.

For the first time Akari looked to the center of the room and stood in shock a frown fighting for dominance, "What is this? An intervention?"

Kakashi sighed, "He wouldn't leave."

Sakura noticed she nodded as if this happened often.

* * *

Akari steeled her gaze and gripped her tiger's fur between her fingers as if this gives her some sort of insight to form words.

Hitenzo looked up from his inner turmoil and tried to restrain the boy who was obviously a little more than upset, "Calm d-"

There was an unmistakable venom in his voice, "If you tell me to calm down oh so help me I'll-"

"Kazune," Akari grabbed his attention and walked toward the boy with the warring eyes, "Don't make such a fuss, it's annoying." She said coldly. Secretly Akari hated being mean or short with him but this was the only way she knew to get him to shut up or back off without using force or stronger words. She locked eyes with him giving her infamous 'I'm over this' stare. "Besides Revie's out there and she needs me. I'm leaving."

He grabbed her shoulders with a fierceness she's never seen and yanked her closer to him. She tried not to show shock on her face but found it nearly impossible with his intense eyes staring back at her unyielding. Without any other option she looked down to her sandals and admired how blue they were. This made her like a child, weak and she absolutely _hated_ that feeling!

She'd be forced to use a different means of communication; the only kind that could get through to him-

"You never tell me anything, anymore! What happened to make you like this?" Kazune exclaimed a pleading tone apparent in his voice and eyes, "We were-so close back then and you just changed. You left me alone."

"Kazune, we're not doing this here there's too much at stake, right now," Akari answered in a more stable tone, she tried to pull away, "Grow up you, know why, I'm sick of you always playing the victim like I _ meant_ for this to happen!"

"You can't keep running away from me like this, and no I don't know why my best friend stopped talking to me," He replied bitterly, "I won't let you leave…I_ won't_ lose you again."

She swallowed; he always made her feel guilty when he played that card.

He continued, "Kari…you _know_ how I feel," the boy paused to glance around at the others, "I don't care what they think of me right now…I'm _not_ losing you and you're not leaving me."

"Lord Kazune please listen to reason," Hitenzo begged, "This is the only way-"

"I didn't ask you!" he shouted at the man with a tone Akari never heard from him before and couldn't quite counter.

"Don't you dare talk to him like that!" Naruto roared unable to contain himself, "She's in enough pain already she doesn't need you confusing her! Stop being so damn selfish!"

"That's enough, Naruto. This isn't any of our business nor any of our places to judge. Be quiet," Kakashi told him restraining the boy from attacking the young heir.

"How can you just stand there and listen to this?!"

Kakashi sighed, "We are ninja we are hired to perform tasks not meddle in peoples personal lives. You should know that already." He finished icily.

Naruto grunted but kept quiet.

Kazune didn't even hear the outburst, "Don't do this to me."

"Kazune…" she started unable to continue. "I don't want to talk about this, just stop!" she knew where this conversation was headed and she wasn't prepared for it. Why was this happening now? She _just_ woke up and _was_ feeling great but now this-this fast?! Could this possibly get any worse?

"Kaori and I aren't meant to be together, she doesn't even want to marry me and I don't want to marry her I want you-you Kari!" a hungry and deranged tone in his voice echoed in her ears and she finally found the anger to speak.

"Oh so now after she's _kidnapped_ you tell me," she replied venomously her insides burning with madness and anger at his sudden proclamation, "you expect me to forget my own sister!" _Am I a replacement?_ she thought randomly. She was getting downright confused and didn't care to hide it.

_But he is right,_ she thought_, Revie didn't-doesn't love him…she didn't think of him that way but the two of them had a mutual understanding of what they had to do. Getting married is _their_ duty to _their_ people and families…so why choose now to break this…agreement?_

"No, I'm saying I want you to stay and let the shinobi handle it, I couldn't live with myself if you were hurt and I just sat here unable to help. I can't protect you the way I want to- I couldn't protect her…"

"Don't use this as an excuse to pity yourself…let go of me Kazune," she sighed, "Please do this for me…let me go."

His grip loosened, "What if something happens-"

Her face tightened up at his words and she had the urge to hit so hard he'd be knocked into the adjacent wall, "Are you calling me weak?" she replied using every excuse to try to hate him. She could feel his spur of the moment resolve failing, as well as her own.

"No I didn't mean…" he sighed, "Why is it so hard for me to talk to you," he sighed and let go of her pacing. "I-"

She paused and waited casually looking back to her comrades with an apologetic look before turning back to him.

He was so different than before so intense and if she squinted it looked like he was trying to tell her something-something she didn't want to hear.

He turned to face her his face that of a broken man and she couldn't do anything but stare, "Do you remember when we were little?" he asked and she furrowed her brow at his random question.

"Most of it," was her reply to his random thoughts.

"The day we met is one I will never forget…it felt as if time had stood still. And from that day on I vowed to repay you for what you did for me-for saving me from my own sorrow and…" the last word caught in his throat as he spoke it, "loneliness…"

The boy's words trailed off and Akari dared a glance to those behind her. To her surprise Naruto was no longer angry he seemed to be listening intently and he had a look of knowing as if remembering something similar that happened to him. Even Sasuke was watching the scene however uninterestedly. Sakura however seemed pained at the sight of them, she held her hands to her chest like Revie would if she was about to shed tears.

Akari's head jerked away, she was seeing Revie everywhere now and regretted being so mean to Kazu-Miki. She was causing Sakura, who reminded her so much of Revie, pain and she didn't like that thought. It was time to wrap this up.

She sighed, "Miki it wasn't that great…I didn't save you…it wasn't," she was at a loss for words…_again_. She didn't like that feeling at all. Still she couldn't believe he remembered that day. She remembered that day all too well. He was so small then, they both were.

_So naïve we were…_

She shook her head refusing to relive it and forfeit all the energy had stored in her body. She didn't need nor want that _now_ of all times.

"Do you remember when we were seven and Lady Benihime had us tell her our one dream we were determined to make come true?" he said his eyes in a strange haze opposite her own. He took a few steps forward but she didn't really notice at all as the memories, fond memories came rolling in.

"Yes." She stated looking into orbs of liquid light.

"Do you know what mine was?" he asked with a slight tilt of his head.

She gave a puzzled look to the randomness of his questions, "Mother had us tell her separately." She relayed she took tilting her head slightly at the oddity of his questions.

"Mine was you," he told her eyes ablaze with something she did not recognize and something she feared. For a moment time as well as the room stood still and she could no longer hear the world around her. She felt broken and confused, very confused, sad, angry, but not weak. Strange. "My dream was to marry you; I wanted to take care of you as you should be taken care of. I wanted to show you, I _still_ want to show you that I can be strong too!" his words broke apart but his gaze did not falter. As she looked closer she finally noticed his face was wet with tears.

"You are the one I want to protect you're the one I want to marry…you always have been," he stated staring determinedly in her pink eyes though his voice was not as strong, "I ask you to stay."

He fell to his knees in front of her and she gasped and felt as if the world was now staring back at her. A long time ago, maybe, she would have wanted this but…this wasn't the time for this.

Looking up at her he started his epic speech up again, "I swear I will get stronger! I will protect you! I just can't bear to stand the thought of …"

From behind her she could hear nothing to give her the strength to for words. She could use Naruto's brash mouth right now, or Sasuke's rude comments or Sakura's looks of assurance. Too bad she was almost too scared to look at them.

"Why?" was all she could manage to get out before her mind finally put together what was happening. Okay, Kazune was on his knees begging for something…

He laughed lightly at the questioning look she gaze him.

He was begging for her to stay with him and not to risk her life…

"You really don't know?" he asked with a softer look in his eyes.

Why? Oh that's easy because-

* * *

"I love you," he stated simply as if that was the easiest thing to say in the world. Funny how hard it was to get to this point but it was so easy for him to say those words. He thought it was harder to say those words than explaining it would be but it wasn't because it was true; all of it was utterly true. Kazune smiled inwardly and triumphal added, "In fact I think-no I am in love-"

"No," was her abrupt reply. He leaned forward to get a better reception because he swore he heard her say no.

He paused and blinked his eyes, "W-What?"

"No, you can't I won't let you," she stated her tone even and not unsure like it was during the beginning of their back and forth. He was taken aback.

Kazune tried to look her in the eye but her eyes were being blocked by a silvery-blue curtain of her hair he adored.

A growl erupted from the direction of the once silent shinobi. He heard loud scuffling and an enraged voice shout, "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU AKARI!"

* * *

Akari felt rough hands grab her shoulders that didn't belong to Kazune; she was getting tired of people touching her. Did she have a 'Grab me' sign on her forehead or what!

She looked up to see a very pissed the –insert curse word here- off Naruto scowling down at her. _Damn-dang this kid's complex I thought he was on my side._

"This guy's pouring his heart out to you and _**all you can say is 'no I won't let you'**_?!" he roared and his grip tightened on her shoulders but she kept her poker face. If she didn't have that face she would have lost this game a long time ago.

"Take your hands off me Naruto," she said blankly, "If you don't I will be forced to be mean to you and I don't really want to do that considering I was actually starting to like you."

"Lady Akari!" she heard Tenzo as well as some others who had wandered into the room due to the commotion shout their voices filled with worry.

Why were they all of a sudden concerned about her well being? Something felt funny about the way things are turning out.

With an agitated sigh she replied, "I'm perfectly fine. Naruto wouldn't hurt me…he's just being concerned is all. _No need to go out of your way and worry_," she finished with a tone that shut everybody up.

She was growing tired and Naruto was about to make Akari go to a place she didn't like to go to. Heck, no one liked to go to that place with her. Not like she really used it that much, only in situations like these when the influence she holds can be quite beneficial.

"I must ask you to release her Naruto, she's all I have left of this world," Tenzo's pleading tone begged he too falling to his knees.

Why is everyone lying to her today! This is too damn much for one person to bear! First they don't care that she's even alive and _now_ she matters! What kind of sick joke is this! _Am I getting punked? _Her head whirled around the room for cameras but found none.

Naruto let her go with a huff of his cheeks and a slight scowl as he walked towards his fellow ninja. She turned her head back to the broken blonde haired, green eyed boy in front of her ultimately missing the thrashing Sakura was giving Naruto.

Feeling she was on her last leg she began to explain, "Kazune, no." she shook her head, "Don't say you love me because you know as well as I do it can never happen. Besides Rev-_Lady Kaori_ is going to be crowned soon and she needs you way more than I do. She needs us, to be at _her side_…but" she looked at Naruto and back to Miki's clouded eyes, "_not_ together. Yes, I want you to get strong but not for me, for her. She needs protection from you when I can't give it to her. Kaori needs protection, I do not Miki. Please don't worry about a thing,"

She smiled at him and continued saying, "We will bring her back to you and don't worry about me I have _hot head_ over there and the rest of the 'ninja rescue team' to watch my back. I'll be fine, I swear it."

Kazune's eyes left her own and traveled to the floor as he stood. After what felt like an hour he spoke, "I see. Then your mind's made up then." He stated calmly, knowing this would be the outcome of his declaration. She was so good at talking him down, he hated it.

She nodded. _Odd how fast her emotions could change, just like the wind,_ Kazune thought.

"Maybe," he started, cupping her face in his hands and looking into her bubble gum pink orbs, "maybe in another life…"

"Kazune," she added in a more serious tone before motioning for her tiger companion to come near her, "When Kaori gets back you _will_ love her-more than anything…more than me."

He smiled and outlaws smile that tugged at her insides, "As if _that_ were possible."

"Make it possible," was her sharp reply followed by a softer, "You know she deserves it," she stepped closer saying the words low so only the two would hear, "She deserves you. I want the two people I care about most to be together_. That_ is my dream and I ask you to help me make it a reality and forgive me for being selfish. But Revie is my life, my light and my happiness and I'd risk all of that for her… to be able to see her smile one more time before I die, I would risk it all and at any cost."

"Great minds think alike, she'd do the same for you…so would I."

"Both of you need to stay away from risky behavior, I'm the only one allowed to do that," she said finally turning away from him unable to say goodbye but happy to leave on a friendlier note.

"Wait!" he called and withdrew from his pocket a pin that he gently put in her hair before she could object and four hair ribbons, all of which were beautiful, "Come closer-as a final request I ask that you wear these to remember all of us here. The silver silken ribbons are Kaori's their her favorites as you already know, with the pink twin dragons intertwined as one," although he easily towered over her so putting her knee length hair into two perfect pigtails was no small feat, "The last are my early gift to you…a lovely pink with gold etched phoenixes and shiny gemstones. They are beautiful (not that they compare to you). I was going to give them to you during Kaori's coronation along with other things but judging from what just transpired here you wouldn't accept the others."

He finished with her hair and she turned to face him with a smile, "We'll be back."

She quickly turned away from Kazune gave Yorimaru the signal and whilst she hustled out of the door to get away without being stopped. Akari wanted to leave things as they were, she needed to focus, no more distractions.

Akari was the first out of the door and also the first out of the palace, so she waited outside its doors for the others to join her. When they finally came out, she noticed Tenzo was fuming sitting atop the 'ferocious' Yorimaru, her knapsack in his mouth.

She smiled at her ever forceful tiger. Surprisingly none of the ninja gave her any looks about the ordeal they just had to sit through; even Sasuke didn't give her a snarky remark which was a surprise.

Even more surprisily when they all arrived at her position she got a, "You handled the situation the best way that you could. You did what you thought was right and was ultimately a good decision."

Naruto nodded, "You must really care about your sister." He stated with a smile as if he didn't just jack her up moments ago.

"More than anything," she replied with a truthful grin.

Sakura embraced her and she received a welcomed, "Hn." From Sasuke which she assumed to be a sound of acceptance?

"Alright!" Kakashi announced standing taller than the group, "Time to go! Mission starts now."

"Right!" they all said in unison.

"Akari!"

"Oh brother," Kakashi sighed defeated.

She turned around to face the green eyed boy. The next thing she felt was his cool/warm hands cup her face as his lips came softly down on hers. Eyes open wide she didn't protest as he kissed her softly and sweetly, in longing. She then realized, _he took my first kiss! Curse my sloth-like reflexes to awkaward situations!_

"Goodbye, Kari," he turned and jogged back towards the palace doors before she could get any words out, "I just wanted you to be my first kiss."

She blinked and swallowed hard trying to stomach what just happened, _my sister's fiancé just kissed me…that is so not cool._

If it could happen that would be the exact moment that time stood still. Because it was in that exact moment that she felt Revie's soft voice call to her...

* * *

**N/A: Yo! What's up!? Any who, I know there was a maybe too dramatic scene in here but I had to have a way to foreshadow things to come without being so obvious anyway if you like let me know, but even if you don't I'm still going to continue because now I feel like I owe **_**my**_** OC something…typical me…bye!:)**


	6. Chapter 6: Red

**Hi! I'm just letting you know that this chapter was going to be way longer, but sense I only have like six chapters left…I decided hey why not split it up.**

**Disclaimer: I don't Own Naruto.**

**Ninja Clash! Of Nightmares and Daydreams**

**.;:Chapter Five: Red:;.**

Akari zoned in and out of the ongoing conversation as they walked further and further away from her town. Thoughts of what had just transpired were wiped from her mind the moment Naruto started complaining about not knowing where the hell they were going. _Apparently I'm not the only one in the dark_. She assumed that Kakashi would fill them all in once they achieved a certain distance away from the palace.

Although she had doubt about that reasoning.

Kakashi and Hitenzo lead the way with Naruto and Sasuke following behind and Akari and Sakura (as well as Yorimaru) took up the rear.

Her senses were at ease at the moment because she tried not to think too much because if she thought too much she'd always end up in a bad position. So now, as her gaze indifferently drifted from tree to ground to tree, she was content; if only for a little while.

* * *

Sakura's gaze kept finding Akari and returning to the front, finding her and returning until finally she could stand it no longer. "Hey, Akari?"

"Hmm?" she asked her attention turning directly from the foliage to the pinkette. She seemed out of it but Sakura didn't want to pry…not _that_ much anyway.

"So…that boy," she started nervously, "Who _is_ he exactly?"

Akari started to reply but stopped unsure of how to phrase it.

"If you don't want to answer its okay, I'm just being nosy!" she said quickly shaking her hands in front of herself.

Akari smiled at her reaction, "Well-why did everything suddenly get quiet?" she asked looking ahead of them noticing no one was talking. _Talk about being on the spot_, she thought.

"Don't mind us!" Naruto grinned, throwing his head back to glance at her.

Funny thing was that even _Sasuke _looked back as if he wanted to hear this too.

Shrugging she continued, "We were best friends when we were little. I guess he kind of had a crush on me and I guess I did too. You know? Have you ever had a first crush before?" Akari asked the pinkette to her right.

Sakura's gaze quickly darted to the Uchiha in front of Akari and returned them immediately to her bluish-silver haired companion, "I have." She replied blushing slightly.

"Then you know how it is then, but we're not like that anymore though," she said with a small smile looking toward the too blue sky and random clouds up above, "At least I thought anyway."

Sakura didn't speak so Akari decided to add, "He's betrothed you know-"

"What!" she gasped, as if she had heard this for the first time._ Now_ she wished she had just kept quiet.

Akari added the next part quickly, growing weary of the conversation, "To my sister, Revie."

"You're okay with that?" Sakura pushed apparently unaware that the Tsukuyomi Princess no longer wanted to discuss said topic. Topics as such as these got her thinking and she definitely didn't need to do that.

"Yep," she replied with finality in her voice that immediately ended the conversation.

* * *

The six travelers were stuck in a stretch of silence that didn't seem to bother Akari because during her time spent alone she enjoyed the silence but deep down she knew she always would hate the loneliness. But this, of course, was different and so she liked this.

Suddenly Akari stopped in her tracks. A familiar sensation ran up her spine and encircled her thoughts. She faintly made out the distant whispers on the wind and she swore they were there. Besides the steady flow of water from the nearby stream to her right, she could hear several bird noises, and something else…_but what else?_

Someone was calling her name, she swore she heard it before they left the palace grounds, but it couldn't be…

_"Kari!"_

_There it is._

_"Kari!"_

_There it is again!_

_"I'm here! Right here!"_

_ Revie!_

_ "Kari, I'm right here!"_

Akari spun around searching for any sign of Revie anywhere. She was losing her mind. There was no way Revie was here.

She turned back around and could tell those around her were staring at her but she didn't care, her eyes flew to the flock of trees ahead of them and in one particular tree she could make out to orbs staring back at her.

Her breathing caught in her throat as she faintly made out shadows in other surrounding trees but that did not scare her in the slightest. What grabbed her attention was the heavy feeling she got from this one tree. The others were nothing in comparison.

Akari could feel worried grasps at her wrists and panicked voices surrounding her but that all fell on deaf ears. She couldn't look away.

The eyes that looked back at her were dark deep, malicious-

"Red."

Akari's body began to convulse and an intense pain racked through her brain. Everything around her was a haze and the more she tried to see the worse it got. She couldn't control it. The pain was more than enough to send her to her knees but she didn't move. Her feet were glued to the spot. The haze began to deepen until it was just small blotches of color, and then there was nothing at all.

* * *

_The pain had ceased but she had an off feeling surrounding her. She looked around and she was no longer shrouded in black but nor was she with the others. _So where am I_? She thought, glancing around._

_ She was at the edge of land, ahead of her stretched water but farther into the distance you could see three land masses (islands). She blinked and suddenly she was traveling to the one dead center which also happened to be the one further away. _

_ Akari's body was now floating beyond the water and now, she made it to the island, and was traveling inland. Through thousands of trees she finally spotted a gigantic black castle. It was dark and threatening standing alone, towering over the trees that encased it. However still, her body kept moving until she reached the castle and was moving towards the top floor, the sixth floor, and she phased through a window._

_ There was a girl with long pink hair and silver eyes dressed in a eggshell blue kimono and burgundy obi. Akari instinctively reached out to the girl as the girl reached out to her, but she began fading back away. As she was leaving the girl mouthed the word, "Tea."_

* * *

Akari felt her conscious being thrown back into her immobile body and now able to move she collapsed to her knees her energy slowly coming back to her. Taking deep breaths she looked up and for a moment she sat paralyzed gazing again into that bloody red gaze waiting to be thrown yet again from her conscious but—it didn't come.

She was perplexed it was as if those eyes had triggered something but he didn't administer the realm.

_Wait! If I was being pulled into something that must mean that some of my own clansmen…._

Shaking her head she stood but wobbled her gaze fixated on the one in front of her, it was as if no one else existed all she could see was the eyes—the red staring back at her. She could hear nothing but the repetition of old memories floating through her head, memories of her and of her elder brother. His smiling faces coaxing her to chase him, and she would follow after him, wishing she could catch him. Why am I reliving these things now? Those eyes they seem so familiar, but why?

In an all too sudden movement the eyes moved from their place hidden in the leaves. A black cloak whipped out behind the figure as if he were the grim reaper coming to get her. Akari didn't move the figure was getting close; it was as if it were floating in slow motion to get to her.

It held a gloved hand out as if beckoning her to come to it, she reached out, completely unaware of herself, movements, or surroundings.

They were red like Itachi's sharingan, so she felt safe but on the edge of a cliff at the same time. This person wasn't Itachi; she was sure of that the closer he got. This person, wanted her dead, she could sense the bloodlust but still could not move away. She didn't question it, didn't try to. Her mind was fuzzy at this point and she knew now that they were barely two feet apart and closing, that resistance is futile.

An enormous crashing sound and a poof startled Akari from her frozen state. Looking around to her left she could see Kakashi engaging in combat with the cloaked figure she assumed to be a man. He had saved her life—just a moment ago she was mere inches away from death and she just stood there without moving. She was transfixed and immobile but she was paralyzed no longer and it was about time she joined her comrades that were fighting those who surrounded them.

Standing up, she took a quick survey of the area. She noticed that before she really wasn't paying an attention to her surroundings, apparently the road they were walking on was pretty wide, the perfect place for combat. That made her think that Kakashi had counted on the ambush, the man was obviously a genius. _Okay…there were _way _more ninja hiding than I had guessed but that's no real problem. I need to help but first things first—Hitenzo!_

"Yorimaru!" she called her trusty companion, he knowing what to do launched himself on the first person he saw that presented a threat to the old noble man. A moment later she was positioned right at another attacker's feet. With a quick scissor kick, he was on the ground clutching his face.

_Damn, I aimed for his chest…oh well._

"Go!" Yorimaru grabbed a mouth full of Hitenzo's robes and bounded off into some random location. Sighing with relief she turned just in time to deflect a kunai aimed for her neck. The perpetrator flashed her a triumphant smile to which she growled in response. "I thought it was a rule that ugly people shouldn't smile." _Ten feet_, she thought measuring their distance.

Irritated he launched several suriken to only to have her smirk and repel them with her steel senbon. This fight wasn't going anywhere; she needed to finish it quick. She ran straight towards him, he grinned just as he shot two kunai into her shoulders. Her body dropped to the ground in a heap.

"It's over."

Poof!

"Subsitution!" he exclaimed, turning just as the Princess delivered her finishing blow to the back of his neck.

"I wasn't even going my normal speed," she said to no one in particular.

"Alright Akari," she said aloud,

The others seemed to be doing alright from what she could hear, but she was still a bit worried. _There's too many_. There were probably over a hundred ninja not counting the ones she just had taken down. She didn't intend on using anymore chakra but she knew if this fight dragged out, they wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight in the long run. She _really_ had to move.

Using her speed to her advantage, she zigzagged through at least six ninja, hitting pressure points that sent them to the ground immediately. No time to have fun now. Although she hated them she reached into her back pouch and pulled out two kunai. She jumped what she guessed to be four feet and pinned the one guy who was planning to sneak attack Sakura. Like she'd let _that_ happen.

"Hey Sasuke!" she called just as his latest opponent fell at his feet.

"What?" he said dodging a fist, then slamming his own fist into his random opponent.

"Can you tell how many are in those trees up there?" she asked, throwing the dreaded kunai at the seemingly endless sea of ninja. She kneed one brown haired guy, but she could have sworn she took this guy down already. _Could they be…_

"Ten—no eleven," he stated his eyes locking on the chakra signals, "I can't see how it matters though,"

Akari round house kicked someone and tripped two, "Why is that?"

"Most of them are clones…we established that when you went a-wall," he stated impassively.

"Well!" she scowled, "They just keep coming," she said deciding to keep the conversation going, "It seems that only a few of them are really worth fighting…the others aren't really trying."

"I know."

"Naruto!" she shouted, over to a corner of brightly clothed Naruto clones, "You got any bright ideas?"

"Yeah, Let's kick some butt!" he exclaimed proudly punching an opposing clone in the face, "That's all there is to it."

She sighed, "Yeah, well that was the plan ten minutes ago—_before_ we knew we were dealing with possible infinitely many clones."

He shrugged and went about his 'butt kicking' like a true Naruto.

"We need something that could take them all out in one blast…" Sakura added from the right, "Sasuke, you can use your fire ball jutsu!"

"No, we need something that could take them _all_ out," he turned his head to Akari. "The Fire Ball Jutsu wouldn't be enough."

A smile crept on to her face in reply, he knew her so well, "I've got this—cover me and _then_ you may want to get out of the way."

She made a bee line to the nearest tree deflecting numerous suriken and kunai on her way. Pouring chakra into her feet she began to climb the tree having to use her lightning like speed to dodge the weapons that were thrown her way. Less than a second later she was at the top of what looked to be one of tallest trees around. After quickly drawing hands signs she launched herself off the tree with enough force to place her above center of the chaos. Her body seemed to float in mid air as she weaved final hand signs. She took a gratifying deep breath. This is it!

"Water Style! Serpent's Venom Jutsu!"

* * *

The moment he heard those words Kakashi's head snapped up along with that of his cloaked opponent and they both moved for shelter. Kakashi smiled, _what have they been teaching her?_

Sasuke watched from a tree as millions or maybe billions of too fast moving rain droplets showered down on their opponents destroying them in an instance. He had to admit, she was pretty interesting-pretty strong that is for a spoiled princess.

He turned his head to face her just as Akari landed on the branch beside him.

"You never mentioned you used water style too," he told her his face full of its usual blankness.

She smiled and stepped closer to him (he had to look down to look her in the eye), "You never asked. I can use fire style too!"

"You can?"

"Nope, but it would be cool if I could though wouldn't it?" she smiled wider, probably proud of her quick work.

"Hn," he replied stepping back to lean against the tree's trunk.

"You do realize don't you?"

He raised an eyebrow in question, "Realize what?"

"'Hn' Isn't a word," she smirked coming to rest beside him. He sent her a smirk in return.

"How long is this going to last?"

"Not much longer now…I don't think anyway," she placed a finger to her cheek, "This is my first time actually using that jutsu."

He blinked and decided to look away from the girl; a random thought crossed his mind.

Naruto was right she isn't…_ugly_…

* * *

**N/A: Yo! So did you like? Oh sorry its shorter than usual…but life happens! I decided to do something I've never done before….**

**Sneak Preview: Chapter Six: Tea, Traitors & The Journey**

The moment the two had started their battle of words, Akari wasn't too concerned about what he was actually saying. Honestly she didn't really care. Of course, all that changed when he said something he _really_ shouldn't have. If you wanted to piss her off that was difinitely the way to go. Akari didn't like to take things personally but in this case she was willing to make an exception.

_No Akari_, she thought to herself, _you should not do this—yeah maybe you heard wrong._

Her eyes went from his furiously narrowed eyes to that great big scowl on his alabaster face.

_Nope_, she thought, _he definitely said it. _

"_Say it again_," she hissed, staring down his cold eyes stepping closer, "I _dare_ you."

She narrowed her eyes, _damn he said it again._

The instance the second string of words escaped his lips Akari had her mind made up…

Comrade or not Uchiha had to go.


End file.
